


Golden Bird

by honestcake



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Fantasy, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, One sided royai, edxoc, past roy/maes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:15:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestcake/pseuds/honestcake
Summary: It's Ed's 18th birthday, and it should be a day like any other, but for some reason he's turning heads wherever he goes.Men are throwing themselves at his feet and his CO won't stop touching his hair.But there has to be a perfectly rational explanation for this, right?
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Comments: 11
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't hate me for starting something new instead of updating my other stuff... I just needed to write something and I couldn't hit a flow with any of the others, even though I have some stuff written for most of them...
> 
> I've also been in a mental hospital for about two weeks now whelp... Kinda want to leave because I don't think it's helping me but I've gotten some new meds that need monitoring 
> 
> But writing with a roommate and all the other patients around is kinda hard...

When Brigadier General Roy Mustang walked up to his office that morning, there was a gaggle of men blocking the door.

Most of them were of lower rank than him, but he spotted General Krupp at the front. 

"General? Did you want to talk to me?" He asked. 

He had never had a problem with Krupp before, but if the man led this many men to his office there must be something big going on. But why weren't they entering?

The General turned around and looked at Roy, confusion in his face.

"Why would I want to talk to  _ you _ ?" The man questioned, like the mere idea of talking to him was ridiculous.

"I'm here for-" he seemed to catch himself before finishing that thought.

"Actually, I was just about to leave. Excuse me." And he extracted himself from the other men, who seemed to blink themselves awake from some sort of spell. Some hastily saluted the brigadier general.

"Dismissed," Roy grunted, and finally walked up to the door of his outer office. Which was sealed shut. Alchemically. 

With a sigh he clapped his hands and transmuted it open.

"Someone care to explain this?" Roy asked, as he stepped through the now open door.

"Sir, Major Elric reports to have been followed by a group of men all the way through headquarters. He's waiting in his office for you," Riza immediately answered.

"Followed?"

"Yeah, Chief, it was pretty damn weird," Havoc mused. "We had to force the door shut in their faces once Ed made it inside. A couple of them could have ordered us to let them through but they were more like…"

"Like zombies," Fuery finished for him, eyes wide.

"So Ed sealed the door, reassuring us that you should be able to open it no problem," Breda said while Falman nodded.

"I see. He's in there, then?" He indicated the inner office.

"He came in for a case report. And don't forget it's his birthday today, Sir."

He had forgotten. Thank god for Hawkeye. He made a mental note to invite Ed and the team out for drinks, now that the kid… well, young man, now… was old enough to join them at a bar. This would be fun, seeing Ed drunk.

He entered the inner office with a confident step, only to stumble when he saw the vision stretched out on the leather couch.

He hastily closed the door behind him and stepped closer.

Never before had he seen something so… enchanting.

Edward's eyes were closed and he was softly snoring but Roy had to see them! Really, he couldn't stand not seeing them any longer, they must be stunning. Everything about Ed was, how had he never noticed before?

His golden hair and skin, those beautiful cheekbones and… Roy's eyes fell to his full lips, slightly parted in sleep. He couldn't stop himself, saw no reason to. He kneeled beside the sleeping man, slid his hand carefully into those golden strands and kissed him awake.

Golden eyes shot open in an instant, and Roy had been right about them. Then Ed kissed back for a glorious second and Roy let out a contented humm… only to find himself on the floor with a bruised jaw the next second.


	2. Chapter 2

Being kissed awake was nice.

Realising that he was being kissed awake by  _ Roy _ _ Mustang, _ who had  _ no business _ kissing him awake, was less nice.

Mustang didn't seem to like the automail fist to his face any better, judging by how he was holding himself on the floor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Ed demanded to know.

Mustang blinked up at him.

"Fullmetal? What's…  _ Did you punch me? _ "

"Only because you assaulted me, you fucker! Why is everyone acting so god damn creepy today?"

The general just stared at him, eyes that were clear just seconds ago now strangely dilated.

"Mustang? Are you even listening to me?"

The bastard in question slowly rose to his feet, and started reaching out towards Ed. When his ungloved hand started to bury itself in his hair, still tied back in a pony tail but coming loose from Mustang's earlier attack, Ed shoved him back again, hard.

He stalked over to the door leading to the outer office while Mustang was recovering and called out to Hawkeye. 

"Captain, could you please join us in here for a bit? The bastard needs help."

She nodded and walked over to the general's office, who, meanwhile, had moved back to Ed and attempted to bury his face in his hair.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw their intimate position.

"Something is wrong with him," Ed complained. 

"He won't stop fucking touching me, he downright kissed me when I was sleeping on the sofa. First those men in the hallway, now the bastard!"

"Sir?" Hawkeye tried, but there was no reaction from Mustang.

"When I punched him earlier he seemed to come back to himself for a bit…"

"You punched your superior officer? Edward, you can be court martialed for that!" Hawkeye warned him.

"He assaulted me in my sleep!" Ed defended himself.

"Now can you please get him out of my hair!?" 

Mustang had slid the band out of Ed's ponytail so that the strands were flowing freely, and the older man ran his hands through them carefully.

"Maybe you should wait in the outer office, Edward," Hawkeye suggested.

"I'll try to talk some sense into him."

Ed nodded and gathered his hair back into a low ponytail while walking back into the outer office.

Suspiciously he looked at the men gathered there, but none of them acted any different than any other day.

He shook his head and sat down at his desk. 

Since the promised day that had effectively ended his search for the stone or an alternative cure for Alphonse he had a more permanent place among his teammates. And apparently nobody cared if his signature was readable, as long as the paperwork was processed by somebody. As the second highest ranked member of their team he actually was able to take on quite a bit of Mustang's workload. Bleargh. 

The deskwork combined with the automail was going to break his back by the time he was thirty. He was glad the doctor had prescribed him extra gym hours and that those counted as work time.

But today he would have to skip gym. He wasn't keen on collecting his little fanclub again. At least Mustang was the only one in this office acting strange...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really messed up the tenses in this one... I think I got all of the mistakes corrected but let me know if there are any I missed

Riza didn't understand what was happening.

What was going on with Roy?

Why would he act this way towards… towards Edward when he had never… she had always been under the impression that the only reason he had never started anything with her was their close work relationship and the fraternization policies in place. As her direct CO there was no way a relationship between them would be permitted. But… the same applied to Edward and… he had just…

Well. Currently, he was staring at the door the younger man had left through, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Sir?" She tried again.

"Hm?" He asked, not even turning around to her.

"I… permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Mhhm," he nodded his head.

"Roy, what is going on? Why are you acting this way towards Edward? How long has this- I mean how long have you felt like this about him? Have you just been waiting for him to turn 18? I don't understand…"

He finally turned towards her at that, brows furrowed.

"What are you talking about? Where is Fullmetal? I thought he wanted to deliver a report?"

"Roy, he was here not five minutes ago. He says you assaulted him, which he punched you for, and then he called me in. You were… focussed on him only, until he left."

She watched as he lifted a hand up to his discoloured jaw, wincing at the contact.

"Edward…" he said, slowly, like he was trying to taste every letter on his tongue.

"Huh."

"Sir?"

"He's grown up quite a bit, hasn't he?"

"He's been growing since he brought Alphonse back last year, Sir."

"No, I mean like… he's different, today. Radiant, somehow… I mean he's always been-" he waved his hand in a way that she thinks is supposed to convey some concept to her, except it really  _ doesn't _ , "but now it's like… wow, you know?"

"I don't think I do, Sir," she managed to get out.

He just hummed again. Then he straightened up.

“I should buy him lunch. For his birthday.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“If you don’t finish your paperwork in time you won’t have time for that, Sir.”

“Of course, you’re right, Captain.” 

And lo and behold, he actually walks to his desk, puts on his reading glasses and gets to work.

Riza swallowed. This was serious after all. And he was one of her best friends, despite everything. 

She had just always assumed that he felt more towards her because-

And then she realized. It has never been her. Oh, she has been so  _ stupid _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mm I hc Roy as bisexual and homoromantic in most of my fics. That's why he would never start something with Riza. He genuinely likes her but he could never love her ...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah... Not the happiest with this one, it's kind of mostly set up for later things I guess? Let me know what you think in the comments
> 
> Next chapter we get Roy being possessive again yay

Colonel Maes Hughes was in love. With his wife. There was probably not a single soul in central command who  _ didn't _ know this by now. And his beautiful, amazing wife had baked a pie this morning.

Not for him though, for another man. But he wasn't jealous, no, because the man in question was Edward. And he hadn't even been a man yesterday.

Gracia and him had sort of unofficially adopted the Elrics when they first showed up in central. He may be only fourteen years older than Ed, but even before Elicia he had always been the designated dad friend.

All that didn't change the fact that he froze for a second after throwing open the door to the Mustang office.

Ed was… glowing, somehow. Or… pulling? Something…

He also looked almost scared. That, more than anything, gave Maes the strength to shake off whatever was happening.

"Hey, birthday boy!" He grinned.

"Looking good today, did you do something with your hair?"

He strolled over to the young man's desk.

"My beautiful wife Gracia made this… pie for you," he revealed it with a flourish.

Everyone in the office stared at him now.

"What?"

"You said he's looking good today?"

"Yes? It's a compliment Lieutenant. People sometimes give them out."

"I didn't sleep last night. I look like shit!" Ed exclaimed and Havoc nodded, which earned him a kick under the table from the offended blond.

"Hey!"

Now that Ed'd mentioned it, there were bags under his eyes, and his braid wasn't as neatly done as it could be.

And yet, there was... something.

"But something makes you glow today… maybe whatever kept you up last night?" Maes waggled his eyebrows. 

He had just been teasing, but the way Ed turned red tells him he hit the nail on the head.

"Oh my god," Havoc exclaimed. "I don't believe this. What's her name? Is it that mechanic girl? It's got to be her! I didn't even know she was in town!"

" _ Winry!?"  _ Ed almost gagged. "The fuck Havoc. Ew. She's basically my sister! Why do people keep saying that! Also, she's in Resembool, taking care of Al!"

"So there is another cute girl in your life? Why have you never introduced us to her?' Havoc demanded. 

"It's… well… it's not… really…" Ed took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But-" Havoc protested.

"I said," Ed hissed, "I don't want to talk about it,  _ Lieutenant _ ."

"Yes, Sir," Havoc grumbled.

Maes didn't know what to say. Had anyone ever given the Elrics  _ the talk _ ? He hadn't, and he doubted Roy had. Oh gods, what if Ed got some girl pregnant? He was basically still a child himself! Maes knew that out in the country where Ed came from they married and founded families early, but that wasn't the way here in Central! 

"Uhm, Ed," he started. "I'm glad you have a special someone in your life, but it's incredibly important that you stay safe and always use-"

"Oh gods, no! No! Shut up! Stop! For the love of! I've heard this all ages ago, from Teacher, I don't need a repeat!"

His teacher, from Dublith. Not Central, but also not the sticks. Good.

Maes sighed in relief. 

"Well then, that's good," he said, clapping Ed's shoulder twice. 

"Enjoy your pie. I'm gonna go in and see Roy." He pointed his thumb toward the inner office.

He walked up to the door, past an uncharacteristically quiet Hawkeye. Usually she would have interrupted their little get together in the outer office with threats of violence for slacking off during work hours.

He raised an eyebrow in question.  _ Do you need to talk? _ But she just shook her head.

He decided he'd ask again later, maybe cheer her up with some Elicia-cuteness and continued on into Roy's office.

"Ro-oy!"

"Maes," he replied with a genuine smile. 

"What can I do for you?"

"Well I got some new pictures of Elicia you absolutely have to see," he announced, holding up a folded piece of paper for the General to take. 

Roy accepted it and placed it in a secure drawer of his desk and then looked at him expectantly.

Did he actually want to see the pictures?

Maes produced them with a flourish, always happy to show off his beautiful girls, and Roy sat forward in his chair to look at them.

Eventually he said "I'm really happy for you Maes, you know? They're wonderful."

And that…

"You've never said that before, Roy. Could it be that you're finally ready to settle down yourself?"

"Maybe I am, Maes," his best friend sighed, a far away look on his face, "maybe I am."

And Maes Hughes wouldn't be Maes Hughes if he wasn't determined to figure out who the lucky girl was! Or lucky guy, he chuckled, thinking back to their brief dalliance during their academy days. But ah- no, Roy had never started anything with another man since then, so it was extremely unlikely.

With a spring in his step he walked back into the office, stopping at Riza's desk to show her pictures of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah they had a thing in the academy but it meant so much more to Roy than it did to Maes :(((


	5. Chapter 5

There was a commotion in the outer office.

Roy sighed as he signed the last piece of the paperwork Riza had given him that morning. Just in time for lunch with Fullmetal.

He was already imagining how much the younger man would enjoy the food at the upscale restaurant he would invite him to. Since Alphonse's restoration Ed's appetite had mellowed out  _ slightly _ so he would probably not eat a whole month's wages… Roy hoped.

But what he saw when he stepped out into the outer office made his imagination grind to a halt.

There was someone kissing Fullmetal.

Another man - another soldier - had his grabby hands all over  _ his _ major.

Roy saw  _ red. _

With a couple quick steps he was across the room, tearing the young private off of the even younger alchemist by the back of his uniform.

The man was taller than him but that didn't stop Roy from staring him down.

"Get. Out," he growled.

"S-sir!" The man stuttered and saluted, turning on his heel and running out of the office to get away from the angry general.

"What the  _ fuck _ bastard! That was my  _ boyfriend,"  _ the vision in blue and gold screamed at him before quickly shutting up and turning red.

He vaguely registered Fuery squeaking "you're gay?" And Havoc commenting about the private's aggressive approach, but he was way more concerned about Edward trying to hide behind his hands.

Roy slowly reached out to him, cupping his cheek (and part of his real hand until he dropped it to get a better look at the older man) and suggested: "Come get lunch with me? My treat. For your birthday."

"Uhm," Edward replied. "Tanner just brought me lunch. And Hughes a whole pie, earlier…"

"I was thinking 'The Golden Goose?'"

The young man's eyes grew huge.

"They do lunch!?"

"But what about your sandwiches?"

"It's the Goose, Breda!" 

"No, I get that, I meant, can I have them?"

"Oh," Ed thought for a moment. "Yeah sure, why not. Let's go bastard, but you better keep your hands to yourself!"

Roy nodded quickly. Whatever would make Edward happy he was prepared to endure.

What he hadn't considered was all the people in the hallway.

Obviously someone as beautiful as Edward immediately attracted some stares, and some men even started following them. 

Roy recognised some of the men that he had encountered that morning, who had apparently lingered around his office waiting for Fullmetal. 

His patented Brigadier-General-Glare kept them at bay and Edward was clearly too occupied with thinking about lunch to notice them.

Ordering a car once they made it to the carpool went without a hitch, but the soldier driving them nearly drove them into oncoming traffic because he had been watching Edward in the rearview mirror instead of the road.

Roy didn't notice in time to warn him because he, too was staring at Edward who had fallen asleep against the window half a minute into the ride.

Some of his golden hair had come lose from his ponytail and was falling across his cheek. And Roy couldn't not touch it. It was too inviting. Reaching out and brushing the strand behind the younger man's ear felt right and natural to him.

Even with the near accident the drive to the restaurant was regretfully short, he would have enjoyed watching Edward sleep for quite a bit longer.

As it was he now had the pleasure to see Fullmetal stretch out his limbs, flesh and automail, before climbing out of the car.

"Wow. I guess I can be glad these stupid things count as fancy clothes, huh?" Edward asked, indicating his uniform. 

"I don't think I own anything else that they wouldn't throw me back out on the street for wearing…"

Roy, personally, thought they would let him in wearing rags, because he would still be just as stunning.

**Author's Note:**

> I made a Tumblr
> 
> <https://honestcake.tumblr.com>


End file.
